Camera module

ABSTRACT

A camera module comprising: a housing; a lens assembly that is fixed to the housing and comprises at least one lens; a circuit board that is arranged inside the housing and comprises a first circuit board and a second circuit board, on which image sensors arranged to face the lens are mounted, respectively; and a first shield can arranged inside the housing so as to support edges of the first and second circuit boards.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/861,836, filed Apr. 29, 2020; is a continuation of U.S. applicationSer. No. 16/069,765, filed Jul. 12, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,681,251,issued Jun. 9, 2020; which is the U.S. national stage application ofInternational Patent Application No. PCT/KR2017/000240, filed Jan. 9,2017, which claims priority to Korean Application No. 10-2016-0003711,filed Jan. 12, 2016, the disclosures of each of which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The teachings in accordance with exemplary and non-limiting embodimentsof this invention relate generally to a camera module, and moreparticularly to a camera module configured to reduce the number of partsand to simplify the assembly process in response to the reduced numberof parts.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, camera modules generating an image by photographing asubject have been widely used in various fields. For example, the cameramodules are widely used for smart phones, tablet PCs and CCTVs, and thecamera modules are widely used by being mounted on a front side or arear side of a vehicle to photograph a travel image and a parking imageof a vehicle.

The camera modules mounted on a front side or a rear side of a vehicleare manufactured with a very small size, where the vehicular cameramodule may include a housing, a lens assembly mounted on the housing, animage sensor disposed at an inside of the housing and a circuit board.

In general, when a vehicular camera module is manufactured with a verysmall size, a circuit board contained in the vehicular camera module maybe formed in a plural number, and the plurality of circuit boards may bestacked in a mutually parallel manner inside the housing.

Furthermore, in order to inhibit the circuit boards disposed in alayered manner inside the housing from moving inside the housing, thecircuit boards may be mutually coupled by a plurality of screws.However, when the circuit boards are mutually coupled by usingscrew-connection, many numbers of circuit boards are disadvantageouslyrequired because of reduced use area of circuit boards due toscrew-connection, whereby the number of parts caused by screw-connectionis greatly increased and the number of assembly processes is greatlyincreased in order to implement the screw-connection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Subject

The present invention provides a camera module configured to improve ause area of circuit board by supporting circuit boards disposed in alayered manner inside a housing without recourse to use of couplingscrews, and to reduce the number of assembly processes by reducing thenumber of parts without recourse to use of coupling screws.

Technical Solution

In one general aspect of the present invention, there is provided acamera module comprising:

-   -   a housing;    -   a lens assembly that is fixed to the housing and comprises at        least one lens;    -   a circuit board that is arranged inside the housing and        comprises a first circuit board and a second circuit board, on        which image sensors arranged to face the lens are mounted,        respectively; and    -   a first shield can arranged inside the housing so as to support        edges of the first and second circuit boards.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the first circuit board may be mountedwith the image sensor, and the first and second circuit boards may beelectrically connected by a first flexible circuit board.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the housing may include a front housingincluding a floor plate formed with a through hole exposing the lens anda circuit board fixing part fixing the first circuit board by beingprotruded from a surrounding of the through hole in the floor plate, anda rear housing coupled to the floor plate by accommodating the firstshield can.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the first shield can may include atleast one circuit board support part protruded toward an inside of thefirst shield can in order to support the edges of the circuit board, anda circuit board disengagement prevention part protruded toward an insideof the first shield can in order to inhibit the circuit board supportedto the circuit board support part from being disengaged from the firstshield can.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the first shield can may bemanufactured with a metal material, and edges of the circuit board maybe formed with a ground part electrically grounded to the first shieldcan.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the camera module may further comprise:a second shield can coupled to the first shield can; and

-   -   a third circuit board fixed to the second shield can by being        electrically connected to the circuit board using a flexible        circuit board.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the second shield can may be coupledwith a first coupling part, and the second shield can may be coupledwith a second coupling part coupled with the first coupling part.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the third circuit board may be formedwith a connector.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the second shield can may include acircuit board support part protruded toward an inside of the secondshield can in order to support the third circuit board, and a circuitboard disengagement prevention part protruded toward an inside of thesecond shield can in order to inhibit the third circuit board from beingdisengaged.

Advantageous Effects

The camera module according to the present invention has an advantageouseffect in that reduction of use area of a plurality of circuit boardscan be inhibited by supporting at least two circuit boards disposed in alayered manner inside a housing without recourse to using a couplingscrew, an increase in the number of parts caused by using the couplingscrew can be inhibited, and an increase in the number of assemblyprocesses due to use of coupling screw can be inhibited.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exterior look of a cameramodule according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a rear surface of a fronthousing of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a first shield can accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a second shield can accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE

The invention described hereunder may be applied with various changesand several exemplary embodiments, and particular exemplary embodimentswill be described in detail through exemplary drawings and detaileddescriptions.

However, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited toparticular exemplary embodiments, and it will be appreciated that thepresent invention described is intended to embrace all such alterations,modifications, and variations that fall within the scope and novel ideaof the present invention. In describing the present invention, detaileddescriptions of well-known art in the art may be omitted to avoidobscuring appreciation of the invention with unnecessary details.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularexample embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As usedherein, the singular forms may be intended to include the plural formsas well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms“including” or “comprising” are inclusive and therefore specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

Although the terms, first, second, etc., may be used herein todistinguish various elements, these elements should not be limited bythese terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one elementfrom another element.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an exterior look of a cameramodule according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is across-sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a camera module (700) may include ahousing (100), a lens assembly (200), a circuit board (300) and a firstshield can (400). The housing (100) may accommodate a lens assembly(200, described later), a circuit board (300) and a first shield can(400). The housing (100) in an exemplary embodiment may include a fronthousing (110) and a rear housing (150) as illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a rear surface of a fronthousing of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 4, the front housing (110) may include a front housingbody (112), a floor plate (114) and a circuit board support part (116).The front housing body (112) may take a cylindrical shape formed with athrough hole (111), for example. The front housing body (112) may beformed in a cylindrical shape formed with a through hole (111), forexample, and a female screw part may be formed at an inner surface ofthe front housing body (112).

The floor plate (114) may be protruded from an outer surface of thefront housing body (112) in a plate shape, and the floor plate (114) maybe formed in a square plate, for example.

The circuit board support part (116) may be protruded at a surroundingof through hole (111) in the floor plate (114), and the circuit boardsupport part (116) may be contacted or bonded by an adhesive to one ofthe circuit board (described later).

Referring to FIG. 2, the rear housing (150) may accommodate the circuitboard (300) and a first shield can (400), and the rear housing (150) maybe coupled to the front housing (110) by an adhesive without recourse tousing a coupling screw.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a distal end ofrear housing (150) facing the front housing (110) and the floor plate(114) of the front housing (110) may be mutually bonded by using anadhesive.

The lens assembly (200) may include a lens body (220) and a lens (210)formed at the lens body (220), and an outer surface of the lens body(220) at the lens assembly (200) may be formed with a male screw partcoupled with the female screw part.

An adhesive may be interposed between the male screw part of lens body(220) and the female screw part of front housing body (112) at the fronthousing (110).

The adhesive may mutually bond the lens body (220) and the front housingbody (112) and function to inhibit introduction of moisture from outsideas well.

The adhesive may include an epoxy resin cured by heat, an epoxy resincured by UV (Ultraviolet) rays or a hybrid epoxy resin cured by heat andUV rays, for example.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the circuit board (300) may be disposed atan inside of housing (100) facing the lens (210) of lens assembly (200).In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the circuit board(300) may include a first circuit board (310), a second circuit board(320), a first flexible circuit board (330), a second flexible circuitboard (340) and a third circuit board (350).

The first circuit board (310) may be so disposed as to face the lens(210), and the first circuit board (310) may be mounted with an imagesensor (301). The image sensor (301) may generate an image correspondingto an outside light inputted from the lens (210).

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first circuitboard (310) may be formed in a square plate, for example.

The first circuit board (310) may be formed at a side surface with afirst ground part having an electric conductivity. The second circuitboard (320) may be so disposed as to face the first circuit board (310),and the second circuit board (320) may be so disposed as to be parallelwith the first circuit board (310), and the second circuit board (320)may be formed at a side surface with a second ground part (325) havingan electric conductivity.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second circuitboard (320) may be formed with a same size as that of the first circuitboard (310), for example. The first flexible circuit board (330) mayelectrically connect the mutually, oppositely arranged first and secondcircuit boards (310,320). Each portion electrically contacted to thefirst flexible circuit board (330) in the first and second circuitboards (310,320) may be formed with a concave groove in order to inhibitthe first flexible circuit board (330) from being protruded from sidesurfaces of the first and second circuit boards (310,320).

The third circuit board (350) may be so disposed as to face the secondcircuit board (320), and the third circuit board (350) and the secondcircuit board (320) may be electrically connected through the secondflexible circuit board (340). The third circuit board (350) may beformed at a side surface with a third ground part (355) having anelectric conductivity.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the third circuitboard (350) may be formed with a same size as that of the first andsecond circuit boards (310, 320), for example.

The first and second circuit boards (310, 320) may be connected to thefirst flexible circuit board (330), and the second and third circuitboards (320,350) may be connected to the second flexible circuit board(340), whereby the first, second and third circuit boards (310,320,350)may be mutually electrically connected in a mutually stacked condition.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the third circuitboard (350) may be mounted with a connector (360), and the connector(360) may be electrically connected to an outside connector to apply anelectricity or a control signal to the first, second and third circuitboards (310,320,350) and the image sensor (301), or output an image datagenerated from the image sensor to an outside through the first, secondand third circuit boards.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the cameramodule (700) includes only the first and second circuit boards(310,320), the camera module (700) may include a first shield can (400),and when the camera module (700) includes all the first, second andthird circuit boards (310,320,350), the camera module (700) may includefirst and second shield cans (400,490).

Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention explainsthe first shield can (400) fixing the first and second circuit boards(310,320), and explains the second shield can (490) fixing the thirdcircuit board (350) connected to the second circuit board (320).

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a first shield can accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, the first shield can (400) can fix the firstand second circuit boards (310,320) disposed at an inside of housing(100) at a predetermined place without recourse to using a couplingscrew.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first shieldcan (400) may be so formed as to take a shape wrapping edges of thefirst and second circuit boards (310,320). The first shield can (400)may be manufactured with a conductive material, and the first shield can(400) may be formed with a metal plate having a thin thickness by way ofpress processing.

For example, when the first and second circuit boards (310,320) disposedat an inside of housing (100) are respectively formed with a squareplate shape, the first shield can (400) may have four (4) first sidewalls (410) wrapping edges of the first and second circuit boards(310,320), for example.

In order to fix the first and second circuit boards (310, 320) to thefirst shield can (400), a pair of first side walls (410) facing theshield can (400) may be formed with first and second circuit boardsupport parts (423, 425). The first circuit board support part (423) maybe disposed at a distal end of each first side wall (410).

The first circuit board support part (423) formed at a distal end of thefirst side wall (410) may be formed by cutting out a portion of thefirst side wall (410) and inwardly bending the cut-out first shield can(400), for example.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the present invention hasillustrated and explained that the first circuit board support part(423) is formed by cutting out a portion of the first side wall (410)and inwardly bending the cut-out first shield can (400), the firstcircuit board support part (423) may be also formed by allowing aportion of the first side wall (410) to be caved inside of the firstshield can (400) in a state of the first side wall (410) not being cutout.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first circuitboard (310) may be supported by being hitched at the first circuit boardsupport part (423) after being inserted into the first shield can (400).

The first ground part (315) formed at a side surface of first circuitboard (310) may be electrically connected to the first side wall (410)of the first shield can (400), whereby the first circuit board (310) canbe grounded through the first shield can (400).

The second circuit board support part (425) may be disposed at the otherside end facing one side end of the first side wall (410) of firstshield can (400), and the second circuit board support part (425) formedat the other side end of the first side wall (410) may be formed byallowing a portion of the first side wall (410) to be bent inside of thefirst shield can (400) after cutting off the portion of the first sidewall (410).

Although an exemplary embodiment of the present invention hasillustrated and explained that the second circuit board support part(425) is formed by allowing a portion of the first side wall (410) to bebent inside of the first shield can (400) after cutting off the portionof the first side wall (410), the second circuit board support part(425) may be also formed by allowing a portion of the first side wall(410) to be caved inside of the first shield can (400) in a state of thefirst side wall (410) not being cut out.

A portion corresponding to the first flexible circuit board (330)connected to the first circuit board (310) in the first side wall (410)of the first shield can (400) may be partially cut out and formed in abar shape in order to minimize the interference with the first flexiblecircuit board (330).

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second circuitboard (320) may be supported by being hitched at the second circuitboard support part (425) after being inserted into the first shield can(400) through an upper side of the first shield can (400).

The second ground part (325) formed at a side surface of second circuitboard (320) may be electrically connected to the first side wall (410)of the first shield can (400), whereby the second circuit board (320)can be also grounded through the first shield can (400).

A pair of mutually-facing first side walls (410) in the first side walls(410) of the first shield can (400) may be formed with a firstprotrusion (430) protruded higher than the second circuit board (320),where the first protrusion (430) may be formed with a first circuitboard disengagement prevention part (435).

Referring to FIG. 5 again, the first circuit board disengagementprevention part (435) can inhibit the second circuit board (320) frombeing disengaged from the first shield can (400), and the first circuitboard disengagement prevention part (435) may be formed by cutting off aportion of the first protrusion (430) and allowing the cut-off portionto be inwardly bent into the first shield can (400).

The first circuit board disengagement prevention part (435) may behitched at an upper surface of the second circuit board (320), and thefirst circuit board disengagement prevention part (435) may inhibit thesecond circuit board (320) from being moved or disengaged from the firstshield can (400).

Meantime, the first protrusion (430) formed with the first circuit boarddisengagement prevention part (435) may be formed with a first couplingpart (437), where the first coupling part (437) may be coupled to asecond shield can (490) to be explained in FIG. 6.

The first coupling part (437) formed at the first protrusion (430) maybe one of hitching pieces bent outward of the first shield can (400) bycutting out a hole or a portion of the first protrusion (430).

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a second shield can accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6, a second shield can (490) may fix a thirdcircuit board (350) disposed at an inside of the housing (100) to apredetermined place inside the housing (100) without recourse to using acoupling screw. The second shield can (490) may be formed in a shape ofwrapping edges of the third circuit board (350).

The second shield can (490) may be manufactured with a conductivematerial, and the second shield can (490) may be formed with a metalplate having a thin thickness by way of press processing of the metalplate.

For example, when the third circuit board (350) disposed within thehousing (100) takes a square plate shape, the second shield can (490)may be formed with four (4) second side walls (440) that wrap edges ofthe third circuit board (350).

In order to fix the third circuit board (350) to the second shield can(490), each of the second side walls (440) of the second shield can(490) may be formed with a third circuit board support part (442). Thethird circuit board support part (442) may be disposed at one side ofthe second side wall (440) adjacent to the first shield can (400), andthe third circuit board support part (442) formed at one side of thesecond side wall (440) may be formed by cutting out a portion of thesecond side wall (440) and bending the cut-out portion inwardly of thesecond shield can (490), for example.

A portion corresponding to the second flexible circuit board (340)connected to the third circuit board (350) in the second side walls(410) of the second shield can (490) may be partially cut out and formedin a bar shape in order to minimize the interference with the secondflexible circuit board (340).

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the third circuitboard (350) may be supported by being hitched at the third circuit boardsupport part (442) after being inserted into the second shield can(490).

A third ground part (355) formed at a side surface of third circuitboard (350) may be electrically connected to the second side wall (440)of the second shield can (490), whereby the third circuit board (350)can be grounded through the second shield can (490).

An upper end of the second side wall of the second shield can (490) maybe formed with a second circuit board disengagement prevention part(450) to inhibit the third circuit board (350) supported to the secondshield can (490) from being disengaged from the second shield can (490).

The second circuit board disengagement prevention part (450) formed atthe second shield can (490) may be formed by cutting off and bending aportion of the second side wall (440), where the second circuit boarddisengagement prevention part (450) may press the third circuit board(350) to inhibit the third circuit board (350) from being disengagedfrom the second shield can (490).

A pair of mutually-facing second side walls (440) in the second sidewalls of the second shield can (490) may be formed with a secondprotrusion (460) protruded toward the first protrusion (430) formed atthe first side wall (410) of the first shield can (400).

The second protrusion (460) may be formed with a second coupling part(465), where the second coupling part (465) may be coupled with thefirst coupling part (437) formed at the first protrusion (430) of thefirst shield can (400).

The second coupling part (465) formed at the second protrusion (460) maybe one of hitching pieces bent outward of the first shield can (400) bycutting out a hole or a portion of the second protrusion (460).

As explained in the foregoing discussion, the camera module according tothe present invention is such that reduction of use area of a pluralityof circuit boards can be inhibited by supporting at least two circuitboards disposed in a layered manner inside a housing without recourse tousing a coupling screw, an increase in the number of parts caused byusing the coupling screw can be inhibited, and an increase in the numberof assembly processes due to use of coupling screw can be inhibited.

Meantime, the exemplary embodiments disclosed by the enclosed drawingsare merely particular examples in order to help understand the presentinvention, and may not be considered as limiting the scope of thepresent invention. It should be apparent to the skilled in the art thatother modifications based on the technical ideas of the presentinvention are implementable.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention may be used for a camera module mounted on avehicle.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A camera module comprising: a housing; alens assembly that is coupled to the housing and comprises at least onelens; a first circuit board disposed inside the housing; a secondcircuit board disposed below the first circuit board; a first flexiblecircuit board electrically connecting the first circuit board and thesecond circuit board; and a first shield can disposed in the housing soas to support the first circuit board and the second circuit board,wherein the first shield can comprises a plurality of side walls,wherein the plurality of side walls comprises a first side wall, andwherein the first side wall comprises a first region, an entirety ofwhich is overlapped with the first flexible circuit board in a lateraldirection perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the at least onelens.
 2. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the first region isspaced apart from the first circuit board and the second circuit board.3. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the first side wall comprises aplurality of second regions having a height greater than a height of thefirst region, and wherein the first region is disposed between secondregions of the plurality of second regions.
 4. The camera module ofclaim 3, wherein the first region is formed to extend inwardly fromsecond regions of the plurality of second regions.
 5. The camera moduleof claim 3, wherein a first distance from the first region to one end ofeach second region is different from a second distance from the firstregion to an other end of each second region.
 6. The camera module ofclaim 1, wherein a first ground part is formed on a side surface of thefirst circuit board, and the first ground part is contacted with aninner surface of the first shield can.
 7. The camera module of claim 1,wherein a second ground part is formed on a side surface of the secondcircuit board, and the second ground part is contacted with an innersurface of the first shield can.
 8. The camera module of claim 1,wherein the first circuit board and the second circuit board are formedto be the same size.
 9. The camera module of claim 1, comprising: asecond shield can coupled to the first shield can; and a third circuitboard fixed to the second shield can by being electrically connected tothe second circuit board using a second flexible circuit board.
 10. Thecamera module of claim 9, wherein an area of the second shield can wherethe second flexible circuit board is disposed is formed in a bar shapepartially cut away.
 11. The camera module of claim 10, wherein a thirdground part is formed on a side surface of the third circuit board, andthe third ground part is contacted with an inner surface of the secondshield can.
 12. The camera module of claim 9, wherein the second shieldcan is coupled with a first coupling part, and the second shield can iscoupled with a second coupling part coupled with the first couplingpart.
 13. The camera module of claim 12, wherein the first coupling partincludes a hole penetrating the inner surface of the second shield canfrom an outer surface of the second shield can, and the second couplingpart includes a projection that fits in the hole.
 14. The camera moduleof claim 9, wherein the third circuit board is formed with a connector.15. The camera module of claim 9, wherein the second shield can includesa third circuit board support part protruded toward an inside of thesecond shield can in order to support the third circuit board, and asecond circuit board disengagement prevention part protruded toward theinside of the second shield can in order to prevent the third circuitboard from being disengaged.
 16. A camera module comprising: a housing;a lens assembly that is coupled to the housing and comprises at leastone lens; a first circuit board, a second circuit board, and a thirdcircuit board disposed inside the housing; a first shield can disposedin the housing so as to support the first circuit board and the secondcircuit board; and a second shield can disposed in the housing so as tosupport the second circuit board and the third circuit board, whereinthe first shield can comprises a plurality of first side walls and afirst protrusion extending in an optical axis direction of the lens fromone first side wall of the plurality of first side walls, wherein thesecond shield can comprises a plurality of second side walls and asecond protrusion extending in the optical axis direction of the lensfrom one second side wall of the plurality of second side walls, andwherein a portion of the second protrusion is overlapped with the firstprotrusion in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction ofthe lens.
 17. The camera module of claim 16, wherein the firstprotrusion comprises a first coupling part, wherein the secondprotrusion comprises a second coupling part, wherein the first couplingpart includes a hole, and wherein the second coupling part includes aprotrusion.
 18. The camera module of claim 17, wherein the protrusion isformed by bending the second protrusion from an outside to an inside.19. The camera module of claim 16, wherein the first protrusion isdisposed inside the second protrusion.
 20. The camera module of claim17, wherein the protrusion of the second coupling part is coupled to thehole of the first coupling part.